Method of treating tobacco

ABSTRACT

A method of treating cured tobacco to improve taste, aroma, feel and/or color is described which involves the use of a porous siliceous material applied to the tobacco followed by pressure. The latter is effected by weighted plates, rollers or the like to occasion the expression of pesticides, resinous or malodorous substances from the tobacco and absorption thereof by the porous siliceous material. Steam or mist is employed to remove the loaded absorbent from the tobacco.

llttited States Patent 1191 1111 3,840,026 Rosen Oct. 8, 1974 [54] METHOD OF TREATING TOBACCO 2,108,860 11/1934 Kauffman 131/140 13 2,895,857 7/1959 Boer 134/7 [75] Invent y Lafayette 3,702,264 11/1972 Robertson 134/7 [73] Assignee: Rosen Enterprises, Inc., Lafayette Primary Examiner-Melvin Rein Hill, Pa. Attorney, Agent, or FirmStephen E. Feldman [22] Flled: Aug. 23, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 283,210 A method of treating cured tobacco to improve taste, aroma, feel and/or color is described which involves 52 us. (:1. 131/143, 131/133 the use of a porous siliceous material pp to the 51 1111. c1 A241) 15/02 tebaeee followed y Pressure The latter is effected y [58] Field of Search 34/71; 134/67; Weighted Plates, rollers er the like to occasion the 131 /14 144 17 pression of pesticides, resinous or malodorous substances from the tobacco and absorption thereof by [56] References Cited the porous siliceous material. Steam 0r mist is em- UNITED STATES PATENTS ployed to remove the loaded absorbent from the to- 212,399 2/1879 Poladura 131/140 R bacco' 345.076 7/1886 Robinson 131/143 7 Claims, N0 Drawings 1 METHOD OF TREATING TOBACCO BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention This invention relates to a method of treating tobacco, and more particularly relates to a method for improving the smoking quality of the tobacco while making it more desirable to the manufacturer.

2. Description of the Prior Art Other methods of treating tobacco to enhance taste and aroma have involved the use of chemicals often proving expensive or the use of saturation techniques which eliminate more than the undesirable element from the tobacco by causing all soluble material to go into solution. Nothing commercially known at this time has been effective to eliminate gummy resinous material from tobacco leaves. This is important especially from the standpoint of Philippine flue cured tobacco which emits this resin onto the machinery during the manufacturing process creating gum residues. Furthermore the gum resin in this tobacco is a function of an undesirable sweet aroma characteristic of this tobacco species. If the resin is eliminated so will be the sweet aroma.

It is known that as a result of importing certain foreign tobaccos and in domestically grown tobaccos as well, importers and manufacturers are supplied with large amounts of low quality grades with undesirable characteristics of aroma, taste,'feel, and color. Among these characteristics are a musty ammoniacal odor and a sharp, peppery taste. If these characteristics can be eliminated it would be an invaluable asset to the tobacco merchant and manufacturer.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to treat tobacco with a porous absorbent material under pressure. It is furthermore an object to eliminate gummy,

resinuous material from the tobacco. It is furthermore an object of this invention to eliminate musty, ammoniacal nitrogenous material which creates the sharp, peppery, biting taste and offensive odor characteristic of low grade tobaccos. It is furthermore an object of this invention to treat all types of tobaccos to increase their quality and smokeability. It is an object also to provide tobacco with acceptable, even color. A further object is to produce tobacco with a controlled burn rate. Another object is to remove nicotine and tars from the tobacco. And still another object is to remove pesticide material from the tobacco leaves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects of this invention have been achieved by a process for treating tobacco which involves the coating of the tobacco with a film of absorbent material and subjecting this tobacco to pressure for a period of time in order to force out the undesirable elements in the tobacco.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODlMENTS The essential feature of this process is to coat tobacco with an absorbent material and subsequently expose it to pressure. The absorbent material may be natural such as in the case of infusorial earth or synthetic as in the case of calcium or magnesium silicates. Silicate gels may also be used as may various absorbent clays, talc, etc. It is preferable to use the least expensive of the natural diatomite since it is effective while being economically desirable. The forms of pressure used are of a physical nature which would involve the use of extraneously applied pressure such as weighted flat plates, rollers, presses, or continuous expression devices. Pressure is also exerted when the tobacco is packed together for a period of time as in the sweat rooms where fermentation takes place or in the hogshead. The heat and moisture along with the pressure exerted in the sweat room is ideal in order to emit and eliminate resinous material from the whole leaf. Nitrogenous and pesticide material may also be eliminated in this way. It is advantageous to treat the leaf in the bulking stage so that the processing line need not be interferred with therefore reducing handling costs.

The whole tobacco plant may also be treated before threshing and then the tobacco containing diatomite packed in hogshead to exert pressure. The leaf merchant or manufacturer may then clean the leaf.

To eliminate musty, ammoniacal, nitrogenous material it is necessary to moisten the tobacco and coat it with an absorbent followed by the application of pressure either by one means of physical force or by stacking of the tobacco leaves or pieces one upon the other. If the tobacco contains a high degree of undesirables which must be eliminated it would be desirable either when moistening the tobacco or when applying pressure to expose the tobacco to heat and/or moisture through the use of hot water or a heating element or steam. After the pressure is exerted it becomes necessary to eliminate the absorbent material through a steam or mist bath. The moisture content of the tobacco is controlled in that the absorbent material does not allow the tobacco to saturate. Moistures may exceed 30 percent if desired but it was found advisable to use moistures of not more than 30 percent. The removal of extraneous matter in and on the leaf provided an even colored surface.

The amount of absorbent used was generally within the range of 1 to 50 percent of the weight of the tobacco.

Example 1 t A burley tobacco plant having a heavy nitrogenous odor and covered with pesticide is moistened before picking and sprayed with calcium silicate in order to coat the entire surface of the leaf. The leaves are then threshed and packed in hogshead to induce pressure on the tobacco. The leaves are removed from the hogshead and sprayed with water to remove the silicate containing pesticide, nitrogenous material, and impurities. The flavor of the tobacco upon smoking was mild and pleasant.

Example 2 Cigarette, cigar, and pipe cut tobacco having a sharp, ammoniacal flavor and aroma was moistened and coated with a diatomite in a rotating drum. The tobacco was then placed under pressure with a heated flat disk press for 3 minutes. The tobacco was then washed with a steam mist. The absorbent carried off the nitrogenous material leaving the tobacco mild and without a peppery bite upon smoking.

Example 3 Philippine flue cured was moistened with water and diatomite was applied in amounts of 2 percent of the weight of the tobacco. The diatomite was applied in a rotating drum and placed under rollers to exert pressure. The tobacco was washed with a water mist and the resultant tobacco was free of gum and an unpleasant sweet taste peculiar to that type of tobacco. The color was even and the burn rate was controlled upon smoking. This experiment was also repeated with Pa. filler, lndian tobacco and Virginia flue cured with the resultant removal of excess nitrogenous material and the sharp peppery bite.

Example 4 Philippine flue cured whole leaf was removed from a hogshead and moistened with cool water. The diatomite was sprayed as the tobacco was dropped through a cylinder into a hopper. The tobacco was removed and put in bulks and placed in a sweat room with elevated temperatures and humidity. After the tobacco was sweated it was bathed in a steam mist to eliminate the diatomite. The diatomite removed the gum resin, sweet aroma, and provided an even color and good feel to the tobacco.

I claim:

1. The method of treating cured tobacco to remove pesticides, undesirable gummy resins, nicotine, tars and ammoniacal nitrogenous materials therefrom which comprises coating said tobacco when at a significant moisture content with an absorbent material in an amount of l to 50 percent by weight of the tobacco, said absorbent material being selected from the group consisting of infusorial earths, diatomite and calcium or magnesium silicates and then applying physical pressure to the tobacco by way of weights, rollers or presses in order to force the resinous and other undesirable materials from the tobacco, and finally removing the coated absorbent from the tobacco by means of steam or mist.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the physical pressure is effected by means of weighted flat plates or continuous expression devices.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the absorbent material is a diatomite.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 where the diatomite is applied in the pressence of steam.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tobacco is whole leaf tobacco.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tobacco is lamina.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tobacco is cut or whole ribs and stems. 

1. THE METHOD OF TREATING CURED TOBACCO TO REMOVE PESTICIDES, UNDESIRABLE GUMMY RESINS, NICOTINE, TARS AND AMMONIACAL NITROGENOUS MATERIALS THEREFROM WHICH COMPRIESE COATING SAID TOBACCO WHEN AT A SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE CONENT WITH AN ABSORBENT MATERIAL IN AN AMOUNT OF 1 TO 50 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE TOBACCO, SAID ABSORBENT MATERIAL BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF INFUSORIAL EARTHS, DIATOMITE AND CALCIUM OR MAGNESIUM SILICATES AND THEN APPLYING PHYSICAL PRESSURE TO THE TOBACCO BY WAY OF WEIGHTS, ROLLERS OR PRESSES IN ORDER TO FORCE THE RESINOUS AND OTHER UNDESIRABLE MATERIALS FROM THE TOBACCO, AND FINALLY REMOVING THE COATED ABSORBENT FROM THE TOBACCO BY MEANS OF STEAM OR MIST.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the physical pressure is effected by means of weighted flat plates or continuous expression devices.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the absorbent material is a diatomite.
 4. The method in accordance with claim 1 where the diatomite is applied in the pressence of steam.
 5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tobacco is whole leaf tobacco.
 6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tobacco is lamina.
 7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tobacco is cut or whole ribs and stems. 